notes from Brad

If you haven't noticed, there's a particular holiday just around the corner. That means it's go-time for Earlywood. The gift rush has officially started and that is about to be compounded by a number of collaborations with some of our favorite bloggers. We always love working together with talented and passionate food bloggers. There are some great things happening over the next 4 weeks and I'll chime in with details as they roll out this season.

the details Since I released three new products two weeks ago, you guys have bought just under 50 sets of these new mini cutting/serving boards. Maybe that seems like small potatoes to you, but to me, it's awesome. It means that you are loving the designs I landed on. Read on for a few reasons your set will be as great 20 years from now as they are today.secret weapon 1 - laminated stripsEach board is really a bunch of strips glued together (5 strips for the plain boards and 8 strips for the striped boards). By doing this, the grain from each strip works to straighten out the grain of the adjoining strip. The end result is a thin board that starts out and stays as flat as a pancake no matter how badly you treat them!

secret weapon 2 - edge grainYou won't see a lot of swooping grain on the face of these boards because of the way I orient the strips before gluing. I only use pieces that are quartersawn or riftsawn. These are the two most stable ways to cut wood from a log. Maybe it's overkill and maybe it's just the engineer in me coming out, but my goal is for you to pass these on to your grandkids! secret weapon 3 - waterproof glueDon't worry about these boards breaking at the glue joints, even if you accidentally leave them in water. The glue I use is waterproof and, when dry, is actually stronger than the wood itself! Don't forget the Earlywood lifetime warranty too. If anything breaks, just let me know.

secret weapon 4 - maple-ebony-mapleThere is also a very significant reason I sandwich that strip of Mexican ebony between two layers of hard maple... but I can't give away all of my secrets. Sorry!

the giveawaysthe most recent winnerCongratulations to Lisa L. of Rhode Island for winning the set of 4 new tasting spoons. I hope you're loving them!